I. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to housings of electronic devices providing input/output (I/O) functionality.
II. Background Discussion
Electronic devices such as desktop computers, notebook computers, personal digital assistants, cell phones and mobile media devices have become ubiquitous in today's society. They serve as work tools, communication devices and provide entertainment, among other things. Generally, the “brains” and operative parts of electronic devices are enclosed in housings made of plastic, metal and/or glass that may provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Typically, however, the housings simply provide structural integrity to the devices and protect potentially sensitive component parts of the electronic devices from external influences.
Users generally interact with electronic devices through discrete input/output (I/O) devices such as a keyboard, mouse, camera, monitor, printer, and so forth. In some instances, I/O devices are located at least partially within the housing and accessible through openings in the housing. For example, portable computing devices such as notebook computers typically provide a keyboard and trackpad secured to the housing and accessible to a user through cutouts in the housing. In other instances, I/O devices may be external to the housing and communicatively coupled to the electronic device either wirelessly or by wired means.